The books posting NBA odds are still figuring out San Antonio Spurs, as the Spurs have been installed as 3-point favorites at home over the Brooklyn Nets.
UPDATED as of 1:40 p.m. Eastern with new availability reports, line adjustments. Changes will be noted in bold italics.
For more than two decades, the San Antonio Spurs have been one of the safest NBA odds plays out there. But thus far in 2019-20, San Antonio is the least trustworthy team in the NBA and as 3-point favorites on Thursday, according to information provided by The Action Network, against the visiting Brooklyn Nets, going all-in on Brooklyn is the play.
San Antonio is 7-18-1 against the spread this season, the lowest mark in the league, while the Nets are 15-12 ATS and 7-7 ATS on the road. The Spurs’ 3-11 ATS record at home is the second-worst in the NBA, ahead of only the woeful Minnesota Timberwolves (2-10-1).
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Brooklyn is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games and has covered three of its last five on the road. The head-to-head numbers aren’t all that encouraging — the Nets have lost 16 in a row SU at San Antonio and are just 3-5-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the Spurs overall. But the Brooklyn is 2-0-1 ATS in its last three battles with the Spurs despite winning just once SU.
San Antonio is only 5-12-1 ATS in its last 18 and only has two covers in its last six games at AT&T Center. While the Nets come in with a lot of injury issues, the Spurs are completely healthy — just not very good anymore.
It’s difficult to break the old habit, but going against San Antonio at home is the play in this one.
Brooklyn Nets at San Antonio Spurs (minus 3)
Line had been Spurs (minus 2½)
TV: YES Network (Nets), KMYS-CW35 (Spurs)
Tickets: AT&T Center, 8:30 p.m. Eastern (7:30 p.m. local)
Records: Brooklyn 15-12 (15-12 ATS, 7-7 road ATS), San Antonio 10-16 (7-18-1 ATS, 3-11 home ATS)
Availability report
Brooklyn: OUT–Nicolas Claxton (left hamstring soreness), Kevin Durant (right Achilles rehab), Henry Ellenson (two-way, G League), Kyrie Irving (right shoulder impingement), Caris LeVert (right thumb surgery); PROBABLE–David Nwaba (right ankle sprain).
San Antonio: OUT–Drew Eubanks (two-way, G League), Keldon Johnson (G League), Luka Samanic (G League), Quinndary Weatherspoon (two-way, G League).
With only a four-game slate on tap in the NBA on Thursday, here’s a look at the rest of the night’s schedule:
Utah Jazz (minus 6½) at Atlanta Hawks
Line had been Jazz (minus 6)
TV: AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Jazz). Fox Sports Southeast-Atlanta (Hawks)
Tickets: State Farm Arena, 7:30 p.m. Eastern
Records: Utah 16-11 (11-16 ATS, 5-8 road ATS), Atlanta 6-22 (12-16 ATS, 7-6 home ATS)
Availability report (all availability information as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday)
Utah: OUT–Mike Conley (left hamstring tightness), Juwan Morgan (G League), Nigel Williams-Goss (G League), Justin Wright-Foreman (two-way, G League).
Atlanta: OUT–Charlie Brown (two-way, G League), John Collins (league suspension), Brandon Goodwin (two-way, G League); PROBABLE–Trae Young (right calf contusion, status had been AVAILABLE); AVAILABLE–Chandler Parsons (flu-like symptoms, status had been QUESTIONABLE).
Notable: Neither team has been easy to trust of late, with both the Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks covering just four of their last 10 games respectively. Utah is 2-3 ATS in its last five on the road, with the Hawks covering two of their last four games at home. To take the trends back a bit, the Jazz are 7-13 ATS in their last 20 games against Atlanta and 1-2 ATS in the last three meetings.
But the Hawks are 1-4 ATS over their last five games and have lost five games in a row SU, including absolute drubbings from not-exactly-powers in Chicago and New York. This one might be a game to steer clear of.
Los Angeles Lakers at Milwaukee Bucks (minus 4)
Line had been Bucks (minus 4½)
TV: Spectrum Sports Net (Lakers), TNT (national)
Tickets: Fiserv Forum, 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. local)
Records: Los Angeles 24-4 (16-11 ATS, 8-7 road ATS), Milwaukee 24-4 (15-13 ATS, 8-7 home ATS)
Availability report
Los Angeles: OUT–DeMarcus Cousins (right knee rehabilitation), Talen Horton-Tucker (G League), Kyle Kuzma (left ankle sprain); QUESTIONABLE–Anthony Davis (right ankle sprain); PROBABLE–Rajon Rondo (left hamstring strain).
Milwaukee: OUT–Dragan Bender (right ankle sprain), Eric Bledsoe (right fibula, avulsion fracture), Frank Mason (two-way, G League), Cameron Reynolds (two-way, G League).
Notable: The marquee game of the season thus far happens Thursday at Fiserv Forum, as the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks bring the NBA’s best records — 24-4 SU — to a nationally televised showdown. Even with both teams coming in off losses, this is just the second time in NBA history that two teams with four or fewer losses are meeting this late in a full NBA season.
The only other time was awhile ago … the Rockets and the old SuperSonics had three losses each when they played on Dec. 28, 1993. The Lakers have covered four of their last seven on the road, while Milwaukee is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games at home. While the Bucks are 3-0 SU and ATS in their last three against Los Angeles, this is their first meeting this season.
Houston Rockets at LA Clippers (minus 5)
TV: AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Rockets), TNT (national)
Tickets: Staples Center, 10:30 p.m. Eastern (7:30 p.m. local)
Records: Houston 18-9 (12-15 ATS, 6-7 road ATS), LA 21-8 (16-12 ATS, 10-4 home ATS)
Availability report
Houston: OUT–Michael Frazier (two-way, G League), Eric Gordon (right knee arthroscopy), Gerald Green (left cuneiform fracture), Nene (left adductor strain).
LA: OUT–Amir Coffey (two-way, G League), Terance Mann (G League), Johnathan Motley (two-way, G League); QUESTIONABLE–JaMychal Green (tailbone contusion).
Notable: The Houston Rockets have hit a rough patch with point spreads, going just 1-5 ATS in their last six games. With the LA Clippers are 0-2 ATS against the Rockets this season, including a failed cover in the teams’ last meeting at Staples Center on Nov. 22. The Clippers won that one 122-119, but Houston was getting 5½ points.
Thursday night, that line is five points in favor of LA, which is 5-1 ATS in its last six games and have covered three in a row at home. Over their last 10 games, the Rockets are 4-6 ATS and have covered twice in four road games, while the Clippers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10, including covering a 14-point spread in their last home game against the Suns on Monday.